Fairways • Spring 09
The “Best Value”
Training Aid Out There;
How you can use it to help your game.

Carl Sarahs
PGA Certified Professional (Instruction)
Willow Creek Country Club

An unusual “Orange Stick” is becoming an accessory in the bags of many tour players and better amateurs. But what do these players use it for? The reflective stick is actually a reflective snow pole, available at Lowe’s and Home Depot and it is very inexpensive. I use them with my students to help groove the feel of a good turn and hinge in the backswing. Here are three drills to help you turn efficiently in your backswing and unwind powerfully in the downswing, using the pole training aid:

Turning Away
Take your snow pole and lay it across your shoulders, cross your arms and hold the pole with your hands. Rehearse the initial takeaway by moving your sternum to your right knee and allowing the left side of the pole to cover your left knee. Your right shoulder should move towards your right ear. Your shoulders are turning, not tilting, and the arms, shoulders and golf club remain connected.

Hinging The Club Efficiently
Make the pole an extension of the club shaft upwards; grip the club in your hands, holding both the grip and the pole. Build on your takeaway move (Drill 1) and keep turning till your left arm is parallel to the ground. A good checkpoint at this point of your backswing is to have the pole extending out of the grip, pointing down at your extended target line. The extended target line can be highlighted by a second pole.

The Downswing
A good move back into the golf ball is staying in your spine angle and letting your shoulders and hips unwind back to the target allowing room for your right side to fire through impact. Use your pole to help groove this move. Place the shaft in the ground at a 45º angle, about 4 balls width outside of your golf ball. Practice hitting under the shaft, for a powerful release of the golf club.

I find the poles to be very useful and I hope they will help you too. May we all enjoy this wonderful game and have time to enjoy it ourselves and share it with our friends and family.